When vacationing on placid waters of the Bayou, Frog Morton prefers this rich Balkan blend, to which he adds just enough precious Louisiana Perique. Smooth and dark and calming, a relaxing Balkan Blend.

Notes: The name Frog Morton comes to us from the works of JRR Tolkien. Frogmorton: A village in the Eastfarthing of the Shire. It stood on the East Road, between the Three-farthing Stone (fourteen miles to the west) and the Brandywine Bridge (twenty-two miles to the east). Immediately to the north of the village, the stream known as the Water broke into two, creating a wide watery region - this feature seems to have given Frog Morton its name, which means "frog marsh".

07-25-08 I don't think that this blend ages very well. All experiments in aging, are well...expiramental. Aging is what this update is based on. Nearly 5 years has passsed and I have a new tin of FMOTB and let me say I want to give the aging what it deserves, a suitable grave. The jar was vaccuum sealed, upon opening, but thats it. Flavor: Amonia, figs, hay. I'm a southern american, and cheewing tobacco is a mainstay. Whether plug, snuff, or loose leaf. My aged batch of FMOTB hit the pallet like stale Levi-Garrett chewing tobacco. All of the latakia- pine essence, is gone. No rose, No fruit, No Citrus. Only stale vermont maple syrup. Good luck McClelland, others are great with age but this is like smoking dry Red Man. Wow is this one of the great pinnacles of tobacco blending. McClelland has managed to produce one of the most diverse and complex latakia blends on the market. I love latakia, but as many smokers may have experienced through trying alot of different blends of this nature, many of the other tobaccos get muted by improper proportioning of the latakia. This is not the case with Frog Morton on the Bayou. A great deal of complexity is achieved through the addition of a perfect amount of perique. The sweet and spicy overtones of the perique seem to nip at the heals of the VA's and latakia that also embody this blend. It pulls a minute amount of sweetness out to challenge the powerful latakia, that leaves my tastebuds curious. This tobacco can not be labeled by one descriptive word or phrase alone. It metamorphasises and builds as the bowl progresses, much like a good boxing match. This blend is so entising that it can easily become an all day smoke but, I prefer to keep this blend as a rotational element in my smoking. When I become bored with other blends in my rotation andwant to throw something exquisite in the mix, I almost always reach for Frog Morton on the Bayou or 965. I consider these blends a treat and not a contant, that way I truely can appreciate the quality that oozes from these blends.

In tobacco smoke, as in life, there are no absolutes. What is good for one may not be good for another.

About 6 months ago, I purchased a "sampler pack" of the four Frog blends. I cracked this one first because, after all, it contains perique and I love the stuff. I have yet to open the original Frog or the Across The Pond but I found On The Town to be incredible. This one I find flabbergasting.

As someone who prefer virginias and vapers to latakia blends as a rule, I opened this tin thinking the perique might just make this a killer smoke. As it happens, it's the perique that kills it for me. I'm not sure why, but the taste was "odd" - as best I can describe it. Perhaps there isn't enough perique, and what is there simply masks what could have been an excellent latakia blend, had there been no perique. I can't explain it. But this blend makes me appreciate On The Town even more and makes me anxious to open the other two Frogs that do not contain perique in the hopes that I can truly specify what causes this one to miss the mark for me. I can't really recommend this one with a clear conscience to perique lovers.

Frog Morton on the Bayou is an interesting blend. My initial thought was: "Froggy plus Perique? What's not to like?"

However, having lived with this blend for three years now, I find there are some challenges to this type of blend - at least to my palette. The following review, therefore, should be approached with the understanding that clearly this blend - and this series - is overwhelmingly popular and that this is just one man's opinion.

The tin note is classic McClelland ketchupy Virginia tang. The Latakia here is on the mild side, as this series is meant to present a hybrid approach to a mild-to-medium English. I can't detect any aroma of Perique amidst the McClelland trademark tin note, but then the same can be said of many fine McClelland VaPers.

As I smoke this blend I struggle to find much difference from the original Frog Morton - perhaps a hint of spice to rise above the distinct Virginias. As a lover of Perique, I find myself frequently observing that I find the mixture of Latakia and Perique very difficult for a blender to pull off. It may be that the two flavors are not quite complementary. Substitute the Latakia for burley, as with, for example, Irish Oak, and I comprehend the Virginia/Cavendish/Perique mix. But the Virginia/Cavendish/Lataka/Perique mix largely eludes me.

Two comparable tobaccos that come to mind are Pipeworks & Wilke No. 13 and Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding. In this style of English/Cavendish/Perique blend - call it a slightly aromatic English with Perique - only Plum Pudding seems to really stand out. Don't get me wrong, all three are fine tobaccos. Yet the non-Perique versions (Frog Morton original and P&W No. 5) seem to rise above the Perique infused versions.

Now don't get me wrong: this is a fine tobacco. It could just be my taste, but it seems that the addition of Perique to a blend with so much already going on detracts rather than adds to the harmony of the constituent tobaccos.

This is certainly a blend to try, and a fine blend in its own right. But I wonder if blenders of crossover English blends reach ever so slightly too far in adding Perique to the mix? In any case, that is my opinion. But legions of FMOB smokers suggest that I'm in the minority.

Regardless, this is a fine blend and one I would recommend any pipe smoker to try. Such blends educate and diversify the pallet, expanding our experience of just what is possible with today's master blenders and abundance of fine tobaccos.

An overall great blend, after G.L. Pease's Maltese Falcon (a very different blend) this is my favorite. The tin note is afflicted by the vinegar/ketchup smell typical to McClelland blends but after a bit of airing out the smell fades. The smoke itself is slightly warm with a silky quality to it, it never bites, overheats, or produces water. Towards the bottom of the bowl the smoke heats up a bit but is still pleasant and easy on the tongue. The flavor starts off sweet and rich with a background of black pepper like spice. Throughout the bowl the sweetness, the spice, and a very slightly sour flavor play off of one another. The spice builds and the sweetness subsides as you progress through the bowl but all three main flavors stay present. Their interplay is complex and interesting and is best appreciated during quite meditative moments. I find that this blend pairs well with bourbons, stouts, and coffee. While I haven’t actually tried it I can also see it sitting very well with a robust red wine like cabernet. A great smoke and highly recommended.

The smokey, woody sweet Cyprian latakia is less prominent in this Frog blend than some of the others in the series. This blend has the familiar "vinegar" notes you expect from McClelland. The dark fruit sweet, lightly earthy Virginia is muted a little though it does form the base for the product. The raisiny, figgy, spicey perique is obvious is every puff. The woody Turkish is a minor player. I have found this blend to be a little inconsistent, because some tins are spicier than others. Why this is so is beyond my understanding, because McClelland blends are usually consistent. I really like perique, but when it's overly spicy, the balance of taste is disrupted and intrusive. Has a mild nit-hit. Burns a little slow and may need some dry time. Requires some relights and leaves moisture in the bowl.

Maybe it’s the onset of springtime, but over the past month, I have been opening a bunch of aged tins from my tobacco cellar and coming across a few that I had purchased way back when and for whatever reason, never got around to trying. I say this because my review is based on a tin of FMOTB from 2002 and I have not tried it fresh off the shelf and so my thoughts are only on an aged tin. My reference points are Frog on the Town and on the Pond. Of the two ‘on the Town I prefer more. I should mention that I like Perique with Virginias and English blends alike. So On the Bayou should have held some promise. As with the other Frogs, The usual wait and dry time is needed before packing a bowl. I should also mention that at least in the aged version, the scent of the Perique is easily detected in the tin note. On the Bayou seems to be a little less sweet than FMOTT, and the Latakia plays a supporting role in the flavor department. I find on the Bayou to be a bit stronger than the other two as well. For the first several bowls, I really enjoyed on the Bayou, but over time that diminished, and soon went downhill. I noticed that one reviewer pointed out that he felt this blend aged poorly and I am finding myself in agreement. It seems that time has softened the other component tobaccos; this is especially true of the Latakia. I have found that Perique seems to soften over time too, but in the case of this blend, it takes over too much of the blend and things seem way out of balance. The bottom third of the bowl was totally dominated by the Perique. In the end, I grew tired of it. I seldom smoke any in the series anymore, but if I happen to buy a newer tin, I’ll update this, but for now, FMOTB misses the mark, at least in the aged department.

This is the blend that reformed me from being a confirmed "Lataphobe". I tried this on a whim and have not looked back ever since. While this blend has a lot of latakia, it does not dominate the blend but rather it compliments it as it is supposed to do.

I look at tobacco blends like a good pasta sauce. Each ingredient should serve a purpose to create the complete flavor that was intended. Too much of any ingredient and the sauce will be very different from the chef's original idea. For me, Latakia is like the onion of tobacco, excellent when used properly but terrible if there is too much of it.

FMOTB has a complexity that one can enjoy for a long time. Many flavors make their introductions then allow each other to shine throughout the bowl. Great burning blend without much in-smoke maintenance.

I have smoked 3 of the Frog Morton series: on the Bayou, Cellar, and the original.

For me, on the Bayou is my favorite (one of the few tobaccos I have reordered). It definitely has Perique, and I think that is what sets this apart. (Original comes second, Cellar comes third).

I know I am in the minority on this, but Cellar for me is just too sweet and distracts from the latakia. It also had a weird aftertaste for me. I wish I had smoked the others first before get a tin of Cellar.

But back to Bayou. The reason I like this is because this is a great cold weather smoke. The Perique burns the nostrils not unlike the crisp air of a cold morning or evening. I also think this blend goes back and forth between latakia and Perique. I can't really pick out the Virginias, but I think there is enough going on to keep me interested.

I tend to prefer savory and sour for my smokes (and my tastes in general as well). For me, this blend hits both. If you don't like the feeling a pepper in your nose, and you use smoking satisfy your sweet tooth, this probably isn't the blend for you. But for a smokey, sour (in a good way, not a dirty pipe taste) smoke, this is my go to.

I love the smell of latakia when it is smoked around me. I don't think non-pipesmokers would enjoy this but to me, it smells great.

When I first opened the can of FROTB, I immediatly knew just by the smell that this was going to be one of my all time favorites. It was at first a little bit moist, and here in south Alabama, its a bit difficult just to let it air out (and because i couldnt wait to smoke it), as it is very humid, so it took several relightings throughout the bowl- and I must say it would be an increadably consistently burning tobacco had it been just a bit dryer. The cool and increadably smooth way this smokes, its just something to be experianced. The Latakia is prevelent, and even though there is a hit of a sharp edge, it is a little hidden, and very interesting. Most everything I want to say about this has already been said, so if this is the first review you scrolled to, I suggest you start from the top. Its difficult for me to describe the way it is, for any tobacco, I cant htink of words but I can say things in colors and shapes and landscapes. This is certainly a low, happy, marshy, boggy, misty smoke... As the name suggests of corse, it reminds me alot of the overcast conditions during the fall in the Shire. I cant describe it, but it brings a very, very nostalgic feeling to you. I reccomend anyone trying this, at least once, to see what I mean. Overall, the tast is suburb, the latakia and turkish mix very lovingly, in fact all of them do. I especially like the review somewhere above likeing it to a symphony.

This tobacco is a salmagundi of light brown, brown, and black; in flake, wide and ribbon cut, with stems. There is a smorgasbord of Latakia, Perique, oriental, Turkish, and Virginia. It packs easily.

The tin aroma is the standard, mild McClelland sweet fragrance, with a slightly smoky and citrus undertone.

FMOTB is slightly sweet and rather smoky. Otherwise, it seems similar to the other Frogs in the Sandbury Collection. It's not as sweet as FMATP.

Straight from the tin, once you get it lit, it burns with no tongue bite, and a chocolate oats character. That said, there was the attendant mild mouth scour. Sometimes the bowl burnt hot.

Albeit, not having that discerning a palate, I didn't perceive the Perique spice element, standing out on its own merit, that others have said is a FMOTB signature.

Being too mild to deserve the appellation of a Balkan, the Latakia is subdued. One reviewer called it a Scottish, due to the stoved Virginias.

Frogs raised on the bayou have a bit more nicotine kick than other Frogs.

Newly opened tobacco was barely moist. Using two lights, there was no gurgle, but a small dottle was left. Allowed to dry for 3 hours, it was absolutely bonedry and still left some moisture in the bottom of the bowl, again with mild mouth scour. Caveat: Even this old salt could sense the reduced flavors of the tobacco after it was dried.

The room aroma is pleasantly smoky, though an alfalfa ambiance was left on my clothes. After thorough cleaning of my meerschaum, a definite taste of Latakia was still left in the pipe when a straight VA was smoked.

This could serve as the impetus for delving into the plethora of English-style blends. To try Frank's method of pipe packing, Google "Frank pipe packing method."

I do not care at all for Frog Morton. Frog Morton on the Town is sweet and tasty. Frog Morton on the Bayou was similar to the On the Town version, but McClelland eased off the accelerator when dishing out the the Latakia in this one. The deal breaker for me was the Perique. Too much of that Louisiana pepper sauce to make FMOTB a winner for my palate.

This tasted like a sweetened up and toned down Balkan blend rather than an "English" type. I can see where Perique lovers would like this McClelland offering. Refined, yes. But, not Pipestud's cup of tea.

Whatever curious Alchemical-designs went into this, It came out successful. Now I wasn't standing up the front of the line jumping up & down when the Lord created Latakia either. Nevertheless Bayou seems tasty to me, A VA-smoker foremost. It's mostly dark with traces of blond ( probably orientals) Tin aroma hasn't got that bitter-black 'Latakia at the Helm' smell of some English blends, it's more balanced - spicey , smokey & somewhat sweet. That is a fair estimation of the taste as well, The splash of Louisiana's finest adds a sliver of power & weight & is quite harmonious in this mixture. Strangely, the smoke is kinda 'misty' or something- it is very light & profuse but disappears quicker than most others.

Take Froggy out on the Town and add a bit of Perique and voila you have Frog Morton on the Bayou.

I have to admit that I bought the Frog Morton series after everyone’s glowing reviews and adulation for it in pipe-clubs and show but I will squarely put myself with that cohort of the Tobacco-smoking population that doesn't get it.

This is, mostly, my fault—Had gone from Aromatics (where most of us start) to The Frog Morton series as my introduction to English (and Balkan and Oriental and Scottish) styles then I may have had more love for these blends.

I, personally, did not—and went from a sweet Cavendish-laden CAO blend right into London Mixture (and loved it) thus skewing my perception of every English-Oriental since then.

There is a casing/topping in these that is barely discernable although the sweetness is most certainly there and in the tin it is hard to tell this from some of the other Froggies apart. Aside from quality tobacco and a nice blend overall I suspect a lot of the love on this one comes from the marketing.

It is a good blend with good tobaccos, but it is one out of what seems like an needless ocean of similar mild-to-medium English blends that companies like McClelland, Hearth & Home, C&D, and G.L. Pease keep pumping out—high quality, well executed, middle-of-the-road crowd pleasure that lack in captivation what they make up for in democracy.

(PS- Is it me or has the mostly male pipe-smoking world officially come out as Tolkien geeks?)

Pipe Used: MM Various + LA Rocca

Age When Smoked: Out of Tin / new

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: The entire Frog Morton series sans Perique., MM Country Gentleman.

Lead by the Orientals. The Latakia is next in influence. The Virginias add a little sweetness, but not much flavor. I find the Perique to be very lightly applied adding just a touch of spice and a mere hint of flavor. Truthfully, I'm a bit let down by this one. My expectations were, perhaps, a bit too high. For me, it's just an average Balkan.

Smoked as an introduction to English blends. Reminded me of black coffee. I've researched Perique and have read there should be a spicy taste and was expecting a bit more of a kick. Despite having missed my expectations on flavor, it's an incredible blend and I'll definitely finish the can. Would love to try some other English blends to compare apples to apples.

I have to say that the first 3-4 bowls of this tobacco, I was seriously disappointed. I almost traded it to a friend but I am so glad I didn't! The first few smokes, the Perique/Latakia mixture seemed to make the blend overly acidic to the point of making my nose and throat irritated. KEEP READING THOUGH!

As the weather was getting cold, I found myself reaching for this tobacco again and again. My nose and throat must have acclimated because about 2 weeks after opening the tin, I started to crave the savory/smokey/sweet goodness of this tobacco over all others. Pretty soon, I would pass by my GL Pease Maltese Falcon and even my favored McClelland Christmas Cheer tins for a cobfull of this stuff. So, if you get this, don't give up on it right away. It may end up being your favorite tobacco!

As with all the Frogs, this is a good blend but not a great blend. The tobacco starts with a hint of chocolate flavor that fades fast into Orientals. Mild, smooth, more sour than sweet, no bite, but doesn't burn well at a sip and requires constant relights, and this does try the tongue. The Orientals don't really "dance" , as they fade into the background. I don't find the Perique except on relights, even though the name " On The Bayou" indicates a heavy presents. This might be the best of the bunch ( If you like Orientals as I do)but it is still boring.

Wow, I just checked the other reviews, is my taste so shot that I'm so far out of wack with you all? I guess it's just me and reviewer "zulujerk 9/19/09".!

I must say that the fine folks at McClelland appear to be on to something with the Craftsbury Frog Morton series. Bayou is a fine mixture that tones down the Latakia dominance of Frog Morton and turns up the Turkish and Perique.

It is lighter in colour than FM, with more flecks of light and medium brown in the same ribbon cut. The tin aroma is delicious, I want to eat this stuff. It is low and smokey like Frog Morton, but with the spice of Perique on the nose.

Upon lighting the flavours burst fourth. Again the Latakia is more subdued here, as is that slightly chocolatey hint noted by some in Frog Morton. Bayou still has the deliciousness of FM, but with more nuances added by the fine Perique. It reminds me of a good Rum Cake, that has some fresh rum added after baking for a little spice on the tounge.

The only drawback I see is that like FM, and like some other reviewers, I find that the actual smoke itself lacks some body. I don't know why but I like to feel the smoke. With Bayou it just isn't there as much. Overall though, that is a small price to pay for such a delightful blend. Absolutely recommeded.

Gadzooks! I may be the first reviewer here because my web tobbaconist,Tim, secured a lot of this new blend from the recent RTDA show. Tim of http://www.paylesspipes.com gave me a full tin of this to sample. Tim has all the latest pipes (Dunhills to Petersons) and a vast array of tinned and bulked tobaccos, at a discount. I feel sort of like a "Willie Wonka in the Tobacco Factory" while visiting him. This is by far one of the best new blends I've sampled from him.

I like this best of the now three Frog Mortons. The original FM tastes mostly like a toasted virginia blend to me. A good all day smoke. FM "On the Town" is more in the English category with the added turkish leaf. The turkish helps it along; gives it more body. But this one , "On the Bayou", has it all.

The tin contents is aged, moist and fresh with mostly dark leaf -- latakia, perique and, yes, a good stoved virginia element (not just another black cavendish). The 10-20% blond leaf is the turkish element, with gives it some body but does not affect the taste greatly. A dark, brooding, semi-sweet flavor is the main note. At least a medium but not quite a full. It is not monotonous at all due to the slight kick from the added peridue and the high quality stoved virginia.

Dark, slightly sweet, and even a bit spicy, the perique brings new depth to the Frog Morton series. It packs easy, burns steady, has no bite, and it's a cool smoke. At most you'll need one or two dabs from a pipe cleaner to keep it dry smoking. The finish is slightly stronger than the rest of the smoke, but otherwise the flavor is consistent yet more complex than the original FM. It's also deeper than "On the Town".

To me it is more Scottish (with stoved virginias) than Balkan, although balkan is noted on the tin. It is not near as heavy as Pease's Odyssey or CAO's Bill Bailey's Balkan Blend. But it is also not quite as strong as some other fuller scottish blends, such as McConnell's. It is a little closer to the straight Scottish/English blends of McCranie's Murdock's Pipe or Connoisseur's Pickwick, but sweeter.

The room aroma is light, vapor-like, I'm told. I went though a full tin of this in a little over a week, smoking it mainly in a Mastro de Paja medium briar billiard but a few times in a old calabash meerschaum for contast. I will secure more tins for my rotation with darker blends. Quite recommended.

My first venture into the Frog Morton series, as I'm not normally a fan of the McClelland vinager/BBQ flavor. This flavoring is most noticeable at the beginning of the bowl in "On the Bayou" but manifests itself as sweetness intermittently binding the different tobaccos and tones down the latakia. I also tend to prefer perique.

Off the light the perique gives off its trademark spice and employs notes of fig and raisin throughout. The woody, smokiness of the Latakia is the star of the show, and provides a creamy chocolatey sweetness when interacting with the sugary dark fruit Virginia and buttery Turkish, the latter I found to shine with exotic spice on the finish. Well balanced, once you get over Latakia's heavy hand. The perique isn't too spicy but noticeable, smoky/sweetness is more this blends thing. At times a beefiness/meaty element comes through. This blend can be pushed and won't bite, doesn't get hot. Can leave some dottle with a couple relights necessary- but burns well and down to a partial ash with larger blackened pieces. A well blended Scottish style- the perique spice is more evident in a narrow bowl, but I'd recommend wider. Not quite 4 stars for me bc of mcclelands trademark soupy flavor, and the mutedness of the tobaccos, intentional or not.. but a satisfying B- and worth a purchase.

This one's another from a trade me and Gentleman Zombie did, where we swapped a few that hadn't particularly tickled our fancy. I think good fortune's smiling on me as I've thoroughly enjoyed some of his 'dislikes'!

Opening the tin reveals a black and brown mixture (prominently black). The moisture's good but I'm unsure of how long it's been unsealed for- Franck reviewed this on 15/07/15 and I'm assuming this is the same tin. Although it's badged with the often vague title of Ribbons, I'd call it more of a Course Cut/Mixture: some twigs, some cubes, some shag pieces, and indeed a lot of ribbons.

I don't, by any means, think this is a Lat-Bomb: the Latakia's tasty, but nowhere near smoky enough for it to have that title. Personally, I like how the Perique comes over: easy to notice, but not too harsh (for me). The Oriental/Turkish offers great weight to the smoke, but the Virginia seems as light as they are heavy. This is what I'd call a 'Rustic' smoke: there's no underlying nuances or flavours: it's quite a solid blend.

The nicotine's medium, and the room-note's perfectly non-offensive: some might say boring!

I've had a few of the Frogs up to now to base my expectations on: this isn't the best of them, but I still feel happy recommending it:

What can I say about McClelland that hasn't already been said? It is one of the worlds most supreme tobacco blenders and are making exciting, Exciting, EXCITING stuff, consistently!!! Not everyone likes McClelland though. Some people say that A LOT of their stuff smells like ketchup, vinegar or BBQ sauce out of the tin. It does. Some people say that they use a lot of Propylene glycol in their stuff. I would suspect that they do and I don't have a problem with it. With a lot of their stuff, the look of the tobacco out of the tin makes me wonder if they have the Swedish Chef doing their cutting. But these things don't bother me. I have smoked a lot of tobacco and I keep coming back to McClelland for one reason and that reason is that whatever they're doing, for me, it works! I can't think of any other blender that I like as much, as consistently as McClelland, with the exception of Samuel Gawith. Ha! Take that naysayers!

But if there's one thing that people should remember about pipe smoking, it's that you should be enjoying yourself, whatever you choose to smoke...

FMOTB is like a leather recliner... You just sink into it. The first thing that comes to mind isn't the Latakia, though there's a fair amount in this. No, it's the Perique. I think back to some of the other Perique containing baccys that I love, like Escudo and SG's St. James Flake and with those, it's fun to see how Perique contributes itself to the experience when it's just the Virginia and the black truffle itself! SOOO EARTHY!!! I don't know if I was completely prepared for the impact Perique had until after many years of smoking it... The way that the Perique in this mixture plays off the Latakia! Have you ever heard The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams? It's achingly beautiful with all the string instruments used for it. Beautiful base structure playing off a top note, the lark itself, fluttering higher and higher! That's how the Perique and Latakia play, like a beautiful piece of music, the base ground of Latakia and the wet earth itself, with all its minerality, roots, bugs, fungi and other stuff living in it, just under the surface.

Then there's the Turkish/Oriental and Virginia leaves. They are tying in the various strings, rounding them out. The Oriental contribution, fills out the mixture with supreme complexity and the Virginia is wonderfully sugary and help drive the experience.

Like I said before, this and other McClelland mixtures look like they have the Swedish Chef doing the tobacco cutting. It's sort of boggling to look at. It almost looks like they were being lazy, but it seems to work! The mix burns well and packs well. It stays lit, even though I think they've been using plenty of humectant to keep it moist. Sip this, and it shouldn't bite. Also an added benefit of Perique is that it helps with alkaline tongue bite because it tends to be more acidic. (Thanks Pipedia!). The aftertaste leaves you wanting more!

Sit in your leather recliner, put on Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending and smoke some Frog Morton on the Bayou with no regrets!

Frog Morton does it again with this Balkan blend. On the bayou is a mild Balkan and allows one to enjoy a nice and relaxing smoke. I love the perique in this blend and it is just another solid smoke from this series. The tobacco is easy to work with and keep lit. The smoke is smooth and no bite on this. So kick back on the sofa and enjoy your adventure to the bayou because this blend is A beaut.

Honestly I was rather disappointed at first. Upon opening the tin, the dark coarse-chopped broken flake looked appealing enough but the McClelland "Ketchup" was disgustingly overpowering.

After 30-40 minutes airing out, I filled my pipe, my early morning Canadian. There was some decent taste there but I just couldn't relate to the dominant Ketchuppy flavor. I immediately felt I had fallen into the trap of all the Frog Morton hype and sorry I had purchased the tin.

I'm not one to give up easily on a blend I'm trying for the first time so I soldiered on. By the time I was 12 or so bowls in, that annoying ketchup flavor had softened considerably and before I knew it this blend had become my favorite way to begin my day.

The list of tobacco components would lead you to believe this would be a complex smoke, but although I can detect the perique and perceive a slightly sweet topping, I just don't find this to be an overly complex smoke, which in my book is a good thing.

Highly recommended for those that like Latakia forward blends. You get your Lat fix, but at the same time get to experience a rather unique interpretation of an old school style pipe tobacco.

A co-worker gave me a sample of this tobacco today, so I had to give it a try!

Tin note (in my case ziploc bag note): very nice; the lat really shapes the aroma, but the perique and VA are prominent as well.

Flavor: pretty good, but it almost seems like too many strong flavors fighting with each other. The perique is noticeable, along with the latakia, against an equally strong foundation flavor. There's some slight flavoring to shape it all out with some sweetness.

Wow...just WOW. This moody, rough and tumble Frog stands out from its more proper English brothers. It invades your personal space from the first light and stays there for the entire bowl. It is polite in one respecect however, leaving no mess other than a fine grey ash; it seems to be one of the cleaner-burning blends in this series, especially compared to the more Turkish-focused ones (ATP, OTT).

Unlike some other reviewers here, I find the perique to be really up front here. The tin says "just enough" perique was added, but there seems to be a rather hearty helping of it. The McClelland BBQ is especially in your face with this blend (heavy on the red VAs?), but the pungency of the perique sings over the top of them, and loudly.

The smoke is wonderful. More leather, more spice, more pine. All of the above with a shovel full of rich, dark earth. Unlike its cousins, this one felt like it (the perique, I suspect) could bite if you push it. It also packs more of a nicotine punch. The room note is wonderful, but non-smokers are unlikely to enjoy it.

Probably not an all-day smoke for most people, but if you like a heavy English, give this one a try. Two tongues up for the Frog from Cajun country!

(This seems like it would age well, but based on some of the reviews, maybe not. Guess I'll have to smoke it all up!)

The frog morton series is a great bunch of latakia blends. Frog Morton on the bayou is my favorite of the series. Sweet, smoky and creamy. A great quality balkin blend. The thing that sets Bayou apart from the rest of the frog morton's is the added dash a perique. The perique adds a nice, rich spice to the blend that really sets it off. Very mild all day latakia blend.

This might sound strange, but the two smells that get when I sniff the tin are venison jerky and very light ketchup. Savory but with sweetness and a little vinegar. It sounds off-putting but it works for some reason. The flavor is just the "jerky" and is very smooth in the mouth. Excellent stuff.

I think this is a great medium intensity tobacco. From the can it smelled a bit like barnyard/manure, but it smokes really great and offers an excellent medium strength English style flavour for an ultra relaxing smoke. I would say that it is sort of like a toned-down version of Nightcap, which is an admirable deviation. Plus, the balance of the tobacco blend is near perfect. You can tell that it is primarily a virginian, but non of the other inclusions are really front and centre, which creates an especially nice even-ness to the overall mixture. May be my favourite pipe tobacco at this juncture.

I love this tobacco. I'm primarily an English smoker using Prince Albert as my base. That choice reveals my preference for burley blends and cheap tobacco, but occasionally when I have a bit of coin to spare I crave something that contains a bit of latakia. The balance of latakia mellowed by the addition of perique in this blend makes it ideal for the job. I highly recommend this one. Easily one of my top 5 favorites.

I had originally given this tobacco a lower review. I'm not sure why though as I've smoked more of the tin that has aged a few years (along with an added whiskey stave from F.M.I.T.C.). Maybe it was the age? Maybe it was the stave?

Either way, I think this tobacco is a fine Balkan blend. It looked similar to F.M. but perhaps a bit darker. It doesn't smell as sweet in the tin as F.M. and smells a bit more earthy, musty with a hint (here and there) of plum. Plays nicely in the pipe just as all F.M. tobaccos. I found the taste and aroma to be similar to F.M. but with a hint of spiciness and a bit more rounded, as well as being less sweet. However the sweetness in this blend seems more dark dried fruit. Hints of pine and other exotic woods are present in the flavor bring a nice complexity that I hadn't noticed. I quite like this blend. Though now I'll have to pick up another 100g tin to try out fresh and compare it to the aged tin I have been smoking out of recently. This blend reminded me of G.L. Pease Westminster with more deep sweetness, that typical F.M. flavor that is hard to find in any other blend.

Frog Morton On The Bayou is my all time favorite Balkan style blend - just the right amount of Perique for that spicy / nutty taste and not too much latakia. You can smoke this stuff right down to the bottom of the bowl and get a good dose of that much maligned but much loved drug - nicotine. I find this tobacco pairs up really well to a strong, slightly cooled cup of Ethiopian or Kenyan coffee and of course two fingers of Dewars Signature - neat of course.

So, I'm about halfway through my first tin of many. I'm not gonna lie when I opened the tin the tin the first time I had been smoking some heavy lat bombs for a week or so. It smelled like dirt, not loam, not grass, just dust and dirt. I thought to myself "Josh your a slave to the lady with the yellow fingers. You know without nicotine you turn into the biggest bastard ever. We'll smoke a bowl even if it's mildly palatable you can jar it up and save it for a day when your broke, out of everything else with nicotine in it, and really hard up." Sounds great right? I packed it up into a fresh cob, and it felt a little dryer than I was used too, not like dried out, just dry kinda bland. I stared at it moodily for a minute or two, picked up my zippo and gave it a char light. Those of you who like to mention that the tin note isn't always a good indication of the tobacco can start fist pumping now. Under the flame the flavor and scent of the tobacco blossomed forth. I could really get the earthiness of the per. Suddenly that dirt gave forth life. A rich loamy flavor with, almost mossy notes. It really did remind me of my time in Mississippi. When me and the guys would go out hiking in the swamps. I sat back enjoyed the flavors, as each drag pulled me in a little deeper into the swamps I remembered from tech school. Back to happy days with my little band of wing-men, to crawdad boils and beers out at that little fricking shack of a restaurant. To the girls I knew back then, crazy swamp raised girls. Girls who's momma married a soldier, cause us soldiers were such good men. Back to bar fights, with my buddies to back me up. Back to that short period in time where I was in the best shape of my life,I was old enough to drink, and I still didn't have any real responsibilities, just had to show up to class. In an MM legend it gives me about forty five minutes to an hour to enjoy those memories. I'm getting the packing and breathing right now so it doesn't need more than maybe one relight. It does leave a bit of dottle but that seems to be more the pipes fault as everything leaves some dottle in that one. The stem is just a hair high, and I've been to busy to sit down and fix it. It smokes like a dream out of my Boswell and leaves a not but fine dust to sit in my ashtray till I get around to making up some mud to fix a few high stems. Frog Morton "On the Bayou"? Yeah it's earned a spot on my TAD list I'm gonna need to keep a nice stock of it.

This is the first English/Balkan Blend that I have smoked. I chanced across a tin from 'O3 thinking that it might be a good way to break into Latakia mixtures, and I wasn't disappointed.

I've since smoked about 4 oz of this mixture of different ages, the '03 is the best, but I really think that another 10 years of aging will possibly make it even better. The flavors are married so well, that the only thing that seems to stand out with sharp prominence is the virginia, which still has a bit of high, sharp notes, even after 10 years of aging.

The tin smells to me just like Levi Garrett Tobacco that I used to chew. Woody, Tobacco-y, smoky and sweet.

The initial smoke was awesome. Great flavors like smoked pemmican, sweet citrus, sage, sandalwood and bitters were all present. Not so much like BBQ to me, but the smoky Latakia was definitely present. I'm not well versed enough to talk about the perique, but there were some notes of black pepper and chili in this as well. I saved some of this '03 back, its going to be hard not to smoke it. This is definitely a permanent addition to my cellar, and something I'll keep in rotation for the years to come. Amazing work from the Blenders at McClelland.

"McClelland Frog Morton" series would be the best blend as a starter tobacco for an occasional cigar smoker. I was originally a cigar smoker but I am not a rich man so I could not enjoy a cigar as regularly as my more affluent friends could. I really enjoy the taste of a good quality cigar, for the subtleties of the taste in a good tobacco.

Meeting my friends at a cigar bar would be kind of strange if I was the only one on the table not smoking. The other night at the cigar bar, I took out my Peterson Silver Mounted Army Pipe 69 (my very first pipe) and started filling it while my friends lit up their cigars. I got some curious enquiries from my cigar smoking buddies, but none were insulting or derogatory just because I produced a pipe instead of a cigar. They were more interested in the tobacco than anything else. They complimented me on the tobacco smell of Frog Morton on the Bayou.

I initially learned about "Frog Morton" series when I visited my local tobacco/cigar shop and the owner introduced me to pipe smoking. I told the owner that I like smoking cigars and enjoy the spicy taste of a good cigar tobacco when smoking. He gave me some pipe tobacco samples to try and recommended me on a Peterson or a Stanwell pipe for my first. I chose the Peterson as my first.

I enjoyed the Frog Mortons more than the other types, but the "Frog Morton on the Bayou" tasted the best for me and it reminded me most of the type of cigars that I enjoy smoking. As a cigar smoker, I would say that this blend is quite mild in nicotine strength. I did not detect any chemical flavoring, which is a very good thing for my very first pipe tobacco. It tastes spicy which I love and it smokes cool. The woody, cinnamon like taste is the subtle undertone of the tobacco as latakia hits the high notes of my tastebuds. The spicy woody taste comes mainly from the perique tobacco which is true to the tin's description.

Because I started smoking my first pipe on the "Frog Morton" series, I think I got hooked as a new pipe smoker. I am still an occasional cigar smoker too. I enjoyed all the "Frog Morton" series, but of all the "Frog Morton" series, my favorite is "...On the Bayou". I can smoke this tobacco for an hour it leaves a nice taste in your mouth.

I recommend all the "Frog Morton" series for cigar smokers as their first leap to pipe smoking tobacco.

My second venture with the Frogs, and as much as I enjoy Frog Morton, FMOTB is even better. It's my first Perique blend and if others are this good I'll have to keep my eye open for more.

I found the moisture level of the blend about spot on and have felt no need to dry it further. The tin note is a pleasant combination of leather, soil and slightly astringent and subtle aromas of dried fruit. There's also just a bit of an almost chocolatey smell, unexpected but nice. I don't detect any of the infamous McClelland steak sauce/vinegary/ketchup aroma, not that it particularly bugs me. It's very noticeable in Three Oaks Syrian but doesn't harm the taste a bit.

FMOTB is easy to pack, having just enough stickiness to facilitate a fill, and burns consistently slow and evenly after a couple of false lights and gentle tamping. Packing method doesn't seem to matter much, it's been low maintenance with simple stuffing, 3-step and air pocket methods. Given the slight stickiness I'd think you'd want to avoid packing too tightly lest you end up with a solid mass and bad draw, but I'm not going to waste a fill just to confirm that.

The flavor of the basic Balkan blend is quite nice, and the Perique adds its own personality well...sometimes stronger, sometimes more subtle depending on several factors like the progression of the burn, quality of packing and so on, but always there and a happy thing.

I originally thought folks were letting their imaginations get to them when discussing Perique, it's from Louisiana so of COURSE it has to be peppery to accord with the cliche that everything from Cajun country's spicy, right? I expected perhaps a DIFFERENT quality, but not genuinely reminiscent of peppers.

Nope, this IS peppery in a very nice way, almost as if it actually had a bit of capsaicin in it, like chili peppers rather than black pepper. This quality for me is more of a sensation than a flavor, but whatever the reason, I like it. The spiciness doesn't really have a flavor, though if pressed I would indeed have to say it's closer to a poblano or habanero with just a touch of astringency more than the dry taste that black pepper has. If I puff too enthusiastically it even tickles my nose!

It's the flavor of the Perique tobacco that's really grabbing me. Some have described it as earthy, I'll be more specific: it tastes like beach sand smells, a lovely and nostalgic aroma that brings back evenings I spent as a kid on the beaches of Cape Cod.

That flavor goes with the Balkan components beautifully, and puts FMOTB up in the category of my very favorites. I wouldn't want to smoke it exclusively, but then what luxury item would you want to consume every day lest it should pall?

Frog Morton on the Bayou is a real class act from McClelland. I'm looking forward to the two I have yet to try!

This blend for me stands somewhere between G.L. Pease Blackpoint and the Original Frog Morton, both of which I thoroughly enjoy. I popped a tin of this and Blackpoint at near the same time. They were my first two balkans a couple of years back. While I enjoyed them both very much, I found that this one stood in the shadow of the bold and exquisite interplay of flavors that I found in Blackpoint. All that to say that this is a very good blend and I quite enjoyed it, at the time these sort of Balkan blends dominated my attention and so it was nice to switch back and forth between the two and compare the flavors. This blend is deep and rich, steeped in Latakia but with a gentle sweetness coming from the orientals and a nice spice from the perique, I really liked the interplay of perique and latakia in this blend. It had a pleasant smell, I loved smoking it as a nightcap right before bed and drifting off with this nice spicy and yet smooth flavor of leather and pepper on my pallet! A truly enjoyable smoke, best enjoyed IMO on a late summer night outside while listening to the crickets chirp and looking at the stars!

Today's story is a blunder on my part. I stocked my smoking drawer full of Syrian mixes, and then kind of got sick of them. Thinking I would just break out a Cyprian blend, I was startled to find this is all I have on hand--except for a half full tin of Perfection, which isn't all that perfect, in my opinion.

This is my second look at a Frog Morton blend, the first being FMATP, which I liked. Frog Morton on the Bayou isn't bad, though I don't think it's great, either.

I'm working through a 2005 sample here. Beautiful packaging and presentation. The contents of leaf are mostly black, with some dark brown strands. I'm guessing it's mostly Cavendish, considering the strength factor, which is rather subdued, and the minimal intrusion of Latakia, present but not ubiquitous.

Well, here I am, enjoying about my sixth bowl full of this stuff and I find myself craving something bigger. It's about the same in strength as FMATP, but, I don't know. I realize this is a tepid endorsement, and really, there is nothing wrong here. Great ingredients, subtle. Too subtle, almost. The Perique doesn't hit too hard. If I got my hands on some blending components I'd probably douse the thing with a hard shot of Latakia and maybe a bit more Perique. Of course, this would savagely pollute the poor Bayou, so I'll just leave her alone.

I suggest FMOTB after smoking a lighter blend, or early in the morning before hitting the heavy stuff. Smoke a bowl of Nightcap and then working your way down will leave one scratching their head. I say that because I almost feel like I'm too eager in my puffing, waiting for greater complexity to develop but never getting there. Yes, it's too refined to call this a beginner's blend, but I'm stronger in the now growing conviction that I'm smoking filler tobacco with a touch of condiments for flavor.

I suppose I imagined something more adventurous in these exploits. As it stands, I doubt I'd buy more land on the bayou. I need something different. And I don't want it to be perfect.

One of the first things noticed about the presentation of FM:OtB is its lack of "ketchup odor" that afflicts many McClelland tobaccos, even including some others in the FM line. Having smoked through half a 50 g tin, I've been pleasantly surprised by this tobacco. While not as powerful as some others in the line (noticeably FM:OtT), this is a very cool smoking pipe tobacco with no tongue bite of which to speak. The black and brown tobaccos meld together to give it a very fine taste, with the perique coming in near the end of the bowl just to announce itself with some light teases on the palate. The room note is pleasant, which is really where the perique is picked up: on the nose and in the air. I will definitely be smoking the rest of my tin, and probably ordering another in the 100 g size when I'm done. This is mainly a beginner's tobacco, but offers enough flavor and strength to remind an old smoker what he got into smoking a pipe for in the first place. I would recommend this tobacco to anyone who wants to start down the bumpy road to perique-smoke, although there are other blends out there that offer more of the perique taste and style smoking. I didn't pick up on the "Balken blend" as much as I did the English style of the smoke, but then again I've had a cold the last few days and this tobacco is one of the few that could break through my fever-addled taste buds and open the sinuses with rich smells and tastes. Will keep this one in the rotation, and keep my churchwarden mainly for the FM line. This stuff smokes really well out of a corncob, though, as do all the FM tobaccos. I'm really torn, as I like the voluminous smoke produced by the blend here in my CW pipe, but may fall to buying yet another corncob just for this particular blend. Some decisions just don't earn much pity, and this is one I'm happy to make every day that I smoke my pipe.

The original Frog Morton and Frog Morton on the Town have seriously grown on me over the past few months, so I picked up tins of the other two blends in the line to give them a whirl. I enjoy perique blends a lot -- the stronger the better -- but the perique in this blend just didn't taste good to me. I don't think it's anything wrong with the blend,per se -- I think it just doesn't agree with me.

All I can say about this stuff is WOW! This is the first Frog Morton blend I've ever tried, and it is absolutely incredible. This stuff was excellent from the moment I opened the can till I reached the end of the first bowl. It never got too hot, and the variety of flavors kept on coming throughout the bowl. I'd never smoked Perique before, and found it quite interesting, but in this blend it isn't overpowering at all. If this stuff wasn't so pricey, I could almost recommend this as an all day smoke, but my wallet would rat me out to the little woman for sure. Now I gotta try the other Froggie blends.

3/24/08 As an added question about this wonderful tobacco, I was wondering if there is a McClelland bulk version of any of the Frog Morton series?

It is a real pleasure to add my first review of this fine blend. Although I should preface this by noting that the tin I tried had been aged three years.

When I first opened the tin I was met immediately by the smell of Latakia. Having little experience with Latakia at the time I remember this smell to be overpowering, although now I do not find it so. There is a definite undertone of something citric in the tin-note. This blend comes in a very unexciting ribbon cut, although I never found any stems and overall would have to say the cut is nothing out of the ordinary, but nothing to complain about either. There is a topping to this blend although I can't really put my finger on it. But definitely a flavouring.

As for packing I used the Frank method and found it to be very wet and sticky. This is usually the case for McClelland's blends and is definitely the case here. But it lights with very little effort and remains lit with very little tamping.

As to the smoke itself, It is a very mild Latakia blend with a touch of spice. It is very cool smoking and burns very dry. No trace of tonguebite. It is a fairly well behaved blend that, on occasion can get bitter if abused. For this reason, it might not be a good blend for new pipesmokers. It IS a flavourful smoke despite it's mild character and while the topping isn't terribly overpowering it is somewhat noticeable. The spiciness is very slight but adds an interesting component to this blend that kept things interesting.

From the above description, it sounds as if this is a blend to be weary of, but rest assured that the flavour is the clincher. Stickiness and topping aside, the mild latakia and touch of perique combine to offer a surprisingly well rounded blend. It is complexe enough to maintain my interest and mild enough to smoke all day. Still, for those of you looking for your daily dose of latakia, you better go looking elsewhere as this is just a little too soft for stars.

A nice surprise this blend is light yet spicey and flavorful. The smoke is there in quantity but is quickly gone. It is a relaxing and nice delight. Lightes eaysy smokes well and give that spice and tingle that keeps you interested. I like it as a relaxing and carefree smoke light and nice could be an all day if the spice does not bother you. A winner better than regular FM fore shure. Give it a try.

The third of McClelland's Frog Morton series, that I decided to try, was 'on the Bayou'. I began with 'on the Town' and the only one left now is the original 'Frog Morton'. I do not know if I began with the best or will end with it, but the two between are dreadful. The only nice thing that I can say about 'on the Bayou' is that--hmm, I have nothing nice to say about this appalling hot-burning twig-ridden rubbish. McClelland creates some of the best pipe tobacco blends on the planet. Unfortunately, I have now discovered, they also create some of the worst.

I tried this one while on a search for a "rest blend" to smoke as an offset to the usual heavier Balkan/Perique types I prefer. My first impression was that the blend was too moist and thus got too much of the "steam" taste, but after a few days of letting it sit, tried it again. It tastes very light to me, which I imagine would be like a medium to someone not accustomed to an Latakia type mix. It stayed light in different conditions (such as outdoors, porch, living room, different pipes) and I had to admit an admiration for the consistent character.

The taste and body is light, and if smoked too fast, it will bite, but not much, you'd have to be smoking with some other condition affecting it (like my bad habit of smoking in moving cars). The smoke starts off sweet, with a bit of spice, and as it progresses, the perique and latakia begin to assert, which for me is how I prefer it. However, in some pipes, the perique isn't quite in quite high enough proportion and thus I get that more sour or wet raggy taste instead.

It's nice enough that I've asked my tobacconist to keep it in stock, and it's in my rotation as an afternooon/rest smoke and works very well for me in that context. It's among the coolest smoking smoking of the light naturals that I've smoked, which sounds like like faint praise, but this would be a great intro the the latakia type blends for those who aren't familiar with that kind. I'll never love this type of blend, but I always do need to have one around as a lighter alternative that is truly light without bite and has good burning qualities.

Having built a fondness to Frog Morton and Frog Morton on the town, I immediately felt this was worthy of a test tin. This is a good but not great blend. I've never been partial to perique. I found this blend to have many of the qualities of the other Morton blends. Flavorful and rich dense smoke. The tin aroma was similar to the other Morton blends. Seemed to smoke a little wet for me. I'd recommend giving this a try if you like perique but for my tastes, I'll stick with the FM and FMOT.

Having tried, and liked, the other Frog blends I naturally had to give this one a try. Unfortunately I'm not that big of a perique fan and I think this is the point at which The Frog really starts to loose me.

To me this stuff seems alot like Frog Morton on the Town with perique added. It has the same sort of sweet almost "citrus" smell in the tin that OTT has, but it quite obviously contains perique.

Like the other Frog blends it burns cool and clean, has plenty of body, and is generally a high-quality flavorful yet mellow smoke. The perique is present but not overpowering, and I wish this had been my first introduction to perique.

The only thing I have against this blend is that I just can't get into perique (except perhaps as a condiment in english blends), but I can imagine really liking it if I did. I'm sure I'll finish the tin, but I doubt I'm going to be smoking anything like this regularly.

I received my first tin as a present along with a new Brebbia Churchwarden (purchased from the good folks at Payless Pipes). This is the blend I've been waiting for. Smooth, spicy/sweet, no bite, and smokes great in whatever size or style pipe I've tried it in. Packs and lights easily, burns consistently.

Pleasing tin notes of leather and jerky with a mild vinegar presence, slightly moist out of the tin and may require dry time. Fruity Virginia's and smokey cyprian Latakia combine and form a rich, leathery and almost buttery base while the Perique and Turkish tobaccos sing through and compliment each other with layers of spice and cedar. Smooth and relaxing, Frog Morton on the Bayou nicely represents a true Balkan blend.

The novelty of this series has definitely worn off. I find myself reaching for a nice bowl off Peterson or Dunhill. Off the four blends that I have tried, all were of the poorest quality in regard to tobacco condition(ie. stems and cut). This is a shame, although lacking in quality control, the blends do contain quality tobacco. This blend is no exception. To be honest the perique in this one is a waste. It is overpowered by the Latakia. There is also a cloying hint off the same flavored Cavendish that I detected in the "Frog's Cellar" blend. I thought it might be ghosting, it was not. Honestly, other than this, the blend is almost identical to the original "Frog Morton". With one more blend in this series to try, I hope my experience will improve. Cheers.

Taste like the original Frog with Perique added which makes this blend a bit more interesting to smoke. The Perique builds as you smoke bringing the pepper forward. The nicotine hit is a bit higher than the original but still fairly light. Lights and burns nicely. If you're a fan of FM and Perique blends, be sure to give FMOTB a try.

Before reading my review, know that I am not fond of Frog Morton's cellar. If you enjoy FMC, skip this review because you will probably like this tobacco more than I do.

Conclusion: This is a dessert tobacco for me, it is very sweet. For those times when one has to satisfy one's sweet tooth. Other than that it is unremarcable, simple and straight. No need to fear either latakia or perique because those are very subtle. Mechanically it is a pretty poor blend that puts off alot of moisture and is quite hard to keep lit. This is in my opinion an ok tobacco, but I most likely will not order another tin.

Taste: An almost sugar like sweetness dominates, reminiscent of that in its aromatic cousin "Frog Morton's cellar". This is clearly topped, I would say, but that is nothing untypical of McClelland in general. Also there is this note of tomato often found in McClelland blends coming through. Beneath these two elements the latakia is most prominent, which makes for a sweet smokiness. The perique is hardly noticeable for the first two thirds of a bowl, and in the last third it reveals itself only through a slight tingle in the nose. Overall it is hard to discern any subtle flavours in this tobacco, it is pretty thick and dense. Blunt almost. That said it is tasty, however simple.

Mechanics: A rough ribbon, kind of a sloppy cut. Needs some drying to not put off alot of moisture that will require a run through with a pipe cleaner, and even so it will need an amount of relights usually reserved for flakes. It does not bite though, nicotine is at mild to medium.

This is a great blend for those who aren't into the full Latakia English tobaccos. Nice and naturally sweet with a nice smoky note and good but not overpowering spice from the Perique. Very enjoyable, lights well and stays lit. Just a wonderful all day smoke.

Upon opening the can it smelled like beef jerky and cracked black pepper. Tasted more like some of the non aromatic blends I've tried. This was my first English blend I've ever had and I do have to say the Latakia is not what I expected. I expected it to bite like straight shot of bourbon but there was hardly any bite. I love this blend. Makes me wanna try the rest of the frog Morton collection.

A solid over all blend that has more redeeming qualities than negative ones. I went through a tin of this over an 8 month span in 2014 into early 2015 and one that definitely needs to be revisited as I used this as a "busy right now" smoke and didn't give it the attention that it deserved. Upon opening the tin the Latakia, wet earth smell of what I think is perique is evident. Cool burning, and a even taste of the contents make this a mildly peppery smoke with the Virginias evident every once in a while and don't seem to get them in every bowl. Recommend.

Whoa, that's nice. Much milder than I expected and very decent flavor. I had braced myself for an overwhelming thump of taste, but it was more understated than expected but still nice and rich. This being my first try at perique, I'm liking it. It seemed a bit damp, but it's humid today, so it took a few relights to keep it going. It packed nicely, and I detected a few roll-like bundles in the strands that rubbed easily into ribbons. I got zero gurgle. And it was nice to the bottom of the bowl.

I've tried Frog and Frog Out on the Town--I like both. This is different, though subtly so.

As an introduction let me say that I don't know the originlal Frog Morton blend or any other of its permutations (FM on the Town, FM Across the Pond, FM's Cellar).

When I first opened the tin I was supprised how dark this beautiful mixture of a medium ribbon cut and little pieces of ready rubbed flake appeared. I don't think it's all Latakia and Perique, but there's neither Black Cavendish. The tin note is rich and smoky with a fruity acidity, hints of incense, and a sweet undertone. Unless you would rate the contained Perique as a cased tobacco (which it basically is), there's no flavoring in the strictest sense.

Filling your pipe is quite easy, in doing so I prefer the Frank or air pocket method. Even though the tobacco seems a little moist, lighting comes just as uncomplicated: most of the time a single charring and true light will do.

Tastewise I'd considder Frog Morton on the Bayou a smooth, medium strength Balkan blend with an added peppery twist from the Perique. Right from the start, there's a tangy sweetness that seems to become more pronounced mid bowl. This mixes nicely with the floral, incense like notes from the Orientals and the peat fire smokiness from the Latakia. But in the background there's a distinct fruity, but also dark and spicy acidity with hints of rasins or dried figs that probably comes from the Perique. This is a complex, relaxing, satisfying smoke. It burns down evenly and slowly to some dry, light grey ash.

This is a great tobacco and a good smoke. It is not too strong or smoky, it is smooth and dry while smoking. There was no bite and the taste was the same through the smoke. The smell from the freshly opened can was intriguing, with a slight smell of whiskey. The whiskey taste while smoking was minimal and added to the tobacco's flavor as opposed to covering it up as some alcohol flavored tobaccos tend to do. The tobacco was somewhat strong, but not too much so. The room was pleasant and my study smelled great for hours after I was done smoking, I enjoyed the Kentucky Bourbon taste and smell. It was, however, hard to stay lit in the pipe and tended to clump up in the bottom, so I had to take my pipe tool and stir it up and re-pack it to finish my bowl. This is probably going to be my favorite tobacco.

A rich and flavorful Balkan blend. The Perique is present and delicious without being over powering. The smoke is so very dense and the flavor so rich, FMOB is just made to be savored. There really isn't a downside to this excellent blend. The Latakia is also in such a proportion as to enhance rather than to dominate the blend. Just a very well done effort for anyone who enjoys a very balanced balkan.

That said, if you prefer a blend where Perique knocks you down or where the Latakia totally dominates, you will be less likely to enjoy FMOB. Again, it is a remarkable balance of all of the components giving each a chance to contribute to the very pleasant experience.

This will be the last of this series I will review since I found this to be quite similar to FMATP, but with the addition of perique. The perique was a nice mild touch and appreciated. For those who like milder English/Balkans this would be great for you. Another good attempt from McC in the arena of milder offerings. CLUAH

I'm halfway through my first tin of FMOTB and already planning my next order. One word comes to mind - DEELISH!!!.. What a great blend. I love Latakia (now). When I was in my twenties I couldn't stand it. Hated everything about it. Now that fifty is screaming it's way into my existence, at a frightening pace, I find it irresistible. Perhaps my tastebuds have matured, or maybe I'm just getting old! I agree with some other reviewers that properly blending Latakia and Perique is no easy feat. The two are strange bedfellows. McClellan got it right. Kudos!! FMOTB will definitely be a regular guest at my house.

I have to quote Lit a Kia ...."WOW" what a beautiful blend. Mellow.....smooth.....wonderful.

I love my Perique and and this one is the perfect amount. The tin note is beautiful and the perfectly cut ribbons of dark brown and black are perfect for smoking immediately. Top, mid and bottom of the bowl taste great. This is a smoke I can inhale through my nose and savour. I gave 4 stars because I've yet to find "The" perfect pipe fodder but this one is darn close.

We all know about love at first sight. There is also love at first puff and it is Frog Morton on the Bayou. Cool, smooth and creamy. I never thought creamy would be used to describe smoke but there it is! Stays that way all to the bottom of the bowl. truly an amazing blend!

Not as popular as Kermit's Cellar mind you, but certainly, this one will be a staple. I'm on an ordering rampage, this one came along side the aforementioned and interestingly enough, the Bayou was a tad more moist than the Downstairs was. Left the bowl fairly moist as well.

Overall, it smoked similarly to Cellar (which burned cool and slow) but I found this one to need some careful attention. I'm down with a relight every once in a while.

The perique balanced nicely, just right in fact. Normally, I don't dig on Balkans but there's something intriguing about this one. It'd be 4 star is Cellar wasn't so bloody good.

Flavour, yes. Gentle cool burn. Lights well, packs nice. The War Department likes the tin, thinks its cute (should be included in the rating system) and thinks this one is a pleasant aroma.

Tin note is Englishy-lat like, with some earthy Perique smell and a healthy McC's dollop of catsup-albeit rich in a red gravy sort of way.

Good texture, very few stem pieces noted. Blend packs well, I fill these sorts of baccy's loosely, and though it requires a few re-lights, minimal wetness noted.

I am at the point of adoration -in a non-religious sense-with good Balkan blends, and this is a good smooth tasty smoke. The Perique is subtle to my palate, it's there but it plays only a bit character role. It's fairly complex flavor-wise, and it plays well with a number of beverages-my favorite here being Guinness E'S, which results in a clever sweetness of both drink and baccy.

I may update this upward from 2-3, but I have to compare the rest of the FM's before I ponder further. Solid blend, either way.

It took me awhile to get a tin of this in my neck of the woods, but I finally got one today. This is a very well blended tabacco, as is expected of McCleland. Just enough perique. Smoke dryly to the bottom of the bowl, but does seem to require a few relights.

I bought a Frog Morton sampler of the four blends offered at the time and OTB was the first I smoked. I've now finished off the first 50g tin and I've bought two more 100g tins to cellar. This is a "special treat" tobacco for me. I enjoy it in a small meerschaum and dream of better days gone by and more to come. OTB is like comfort food for the pipe. The Perique is not subtle...it's there in every puff. The Latakia is mild but present. I've read where other folks have trouble keeping it lit, I light it once and smoke the whole bowl to a fine, grey ash. I particularly like the spice tickle in the back of my palate and the flavor is unique in my tobacco rotation.

overall its a great tobacco. the latakia gives it a creamy taste while the virginas give a tomato-ish sweetness. and finally the perique adds a spicy smokey note. together the blend tastes like a good, spicy, tangy sweet bbq sauce. smoked very cool, no bite. love this smoke.

I prefer aromatics so I think this blend requires an acquired taste. To me the aroma from the tin kind of put me off and the taste of that kind of smoked meat does not appeal. There was no tongue bite, the tobacco was about perfect to put straight into the pipe but I did have to relight several times. The room note matches the tin and taste so for me not great. If you are an aromatics fan and new to smoking it may not appeal. I do like to have something different to aromatics every once in awhile but I don't think I would purposely buy this one again.

This is the third in the series that I have tried so far. As with the others, this is a fine blend with all the components coming together nicely. It lights well, burns well and all that is left is a fine ash at the end of the bowl. Definitely recommended.

I prefer the original to this. I have had one or two reasonable smokes from FMOTB but most a fairly average. Doubt i would buy more. Quality made though so it may be your cup of tea. You have to try it to find out.

This blend gets many good reviews and I can easily understand why. It provides a very unique taste, and provides many other benefits that one would expect from a top notch tobacco.

It smokes well from every pipe I have tried it in. I have never had any trouble packing, lighting, or smoking it. No special technique needed to be employed to prevent tongue bite, excessive heat, or to maintain a consistent flavor.

The nicotine is not overpowering but it will suffice in a medium to large bowl. I do not get as much enjoyment out of good tasting tobaccos that are light in the vitamin N department. Yhis one satisfies me.

The tin aroma is enticing, complex, and rich. The smoke provides a flavor that I look forward to, and does not burn my eyes even when in the midst of a thick cloud. It passes the wife test. The total experience is positive for me. I am a big fan of this blend!

I am nearing the end of my first tin, having smoked the original and On the Town. This is probably the best. It gets better as you go down the bowl. The perique is there in perfect measure, and it is nicely balanced by the sweetness of the other elements. When I hit my stride with this it must have been because it was just dry enough; it seems to be better on dry nights (strange since it's "on the bayou." When everything works well with this stuff, there's nothing better.

However you like it or dislike it, this is one of the best blends on the market. There are many good blends out there, whose ingredients work well together, but FMOTB makes a kind of magic out of its constituent parts.

The taste of this blend is both subtle and RICH, soft but a little spicy, and the mouth feel is full, round and pleasurable. In that regard, FMOTB is like a premier cru Burgandy -- power and richness coupled with finesse.

The sweetness of the tobaccos (stoved Virginia? unflavored black cavendish?) is subtly complimented by the latakia smokiness and floral scents. Meanwhile the light touch with Perique gives a rounded, truffle-like sweetness that melds the other ingredients.

I love the original Frog Morton and was anxious to try this. I am glad that I only bought a 50g tin, because I don't think I'll smoke it all that often. First let me say that this tobacco smokes very cool. The taste that I got was of a mild-to somewhat strong sweetened black tea. It was also a wee bit peppery. At one point I tasted a note of cinnamon. The first half of the bowl is usually most enjoyable for me, but in this case it was the lower half I liked most. By then the Perique had lost some of its dominance and began to blend better with the Latakia and orientals. The taste became much richer and fuller. There was a lot of gurgle in my pipe. I'll dry this out a bit before smoking next time. It was definitely an unusual smoking experience, but in a good way. I just don't think FMOTB is my "cup of tea." I was surprised to read that this didn't leave an aftertaste in the mouths of a few reviewers here. For me it left an unpleasant aftertaste which I could only eliminate by eating some well-aged Danish bleu cheese.

McClelland calls this a "relaxing Balkan blend", and I have to agree. As a matter of fact, this stuff darn near puts me to sleep, it is so relaxing. The latakia and orientals make for that great earthy, smoky taste, while the perique adds a peppery layer that keeps things interesting, but may be a little much for my palate. The tobacco packs well, lights well, and burns well. I think I had to relight once, but that's to be expected. I smoke this particular FM blend in a Missouri Meerschaum Legend pipe and think that this would be a great mild smoke for the end of the day. Was that a little chocolate I tasted about halfway down the bowl too? If it was, it was sprinkled with some Tabasco and still tasted good. In this case there is truth in advertising, and I can't wait to try the other Frog Morton tobaccos. This is my first venture in to the world of English blends, and I usually smoke VA's. I'm looking forward to the other Frog Morton tobaccos. Three stars only because of the strength of the Perique, but that could be entirely be my personal chemistry.

I opened a tin of Frog Morton on the Bayou that had been in my cellar for four years a couple of weeks ago and thought I would give it a review. Opening the tin revealed loose ribbons of tobacco in an even mix of brown and black with some tan colors bordering on yellow that were very pleasing to the eye. The tin aroma had hints of citrus, a little smokiness, some pepper, and a light coffee aroma. The moisture level was perfect for my tastes and did not require any additional drying time. After packing the bowl an unlit sip brought the smokiness to the forefront.

My initial impression was of a very mild sweetness with just a little pepper on the charring light. As I progressed down the bowl the sweetness seemed to come through consistently with the pepper and the cedar- smokiness of Latakia supporting the whole. It had a very short finish down to the gray ash, and the room note was rather pleasant and toasty.

This blend was very soothing and relaxing to me, but it wasn't as strong as I normally like my tobacco. I will not be putting this blend in my regular rotation, but I wouldn't turn it down if it was offered. I recommend trying it; it may be your thing.

This was my first venture into the world of Perique blends. I thoroughly enjoyed it actually. From the minute I opened the tin I began to question why I bought it. Having never had Perique before I had no idea what the tobacco would smell like. It smoked a lot better than it smelled to me in the tin. I was, at the time, more used to aromatic blends and noticing a hint of honey or vanilla or fruit upon opening the tins. This one however is just Perique with some Oriental, Latakia, and Turkish. No sugar coating on this blend. But it was a wonderful even slow smoke that tasted pretty good. If you haven't tried Perique yet and feel an urge to, pick a tin of this up.

I agree, a nice dark beer, or coffee (how I enjoy the blend) should be enjoyed while smoking this blend. I'm gonna put a pnd to cellar, this is a great smoke and change of pace from my pure V smoke'in...Smoked in a medium Brebbia Arthur cball w/air pocket pack method works and smokes perfectly for me with one or two relights; got great flavors such as sweet & salty, reminds me of kettle corn at the county fair. Also tastes of chocolate and perhaps caramel come out towards the end of bowl. Smokes down to nice grey ash with little goop in the bowl. I would snag a 100g tin or three if u can

Man this review is making me drool...gotta go have another bowl...would be the 4th one today of this blend.

This is an excellent option for a relaxing pipe. This is a smooth smoke that is IMO best enjoyed with a rich stout. It also adds to the enjoyment of a strong black coffee. The blend is like sipping creamy campfire smoke. Most excellent.

Not a lot left to say about this stuff. A very good smoke, indeed. Was my least favorite Frog blend till I got through the whole 50g tin. Now, I realize that each Frog Morton blend is exactly what they are blended to be and delicious each and every one of them. This is my first try at a Balkan/Perique. Very interesting mixture. Can't wait to try others. If you haven't given the Frogs a try, you are missing out.

This was my first Frog blend i tried. Tobacco was a little moist and sticky in the tin. I went ahead and lit up a bowl... Smells like crayons and tasted about the same. I really didn't think i was going to like it. However, about halfway through the bowl i gave it a good tamp and puffed a few times. The draw was perfect and everything came together! Rich and creamy flavor poured out. From then on i loved every puff. After the tobacco in the tin dried a little every bowl has been great. Packs/lights easily, burns great and tastes great too. The perique is elusive but adds a nice complexity, but doesn't overwhelm the blend. Definitely recommend this tobacco.

I loved this blend, it was my first english, and I had only smoked mild aromatics before. I loved the complexity of flavors and the smell of the tobacco. Something about it really suited me and Im glad I gave it a try. It burned cool and dry and had a wonderful peppery-herby flavor to it. I can't get enough.

This is my second sampling of the Frogs. The first was Frog Morton on the Town; a mild sweet aromatic English blend.

This is a bit more English and Blakan to me. The tin note was nice, a bit of Perigue in there but not much. I wish I had never read a reference to the "hot catsup" smell of McClelland blends cause now I can detect it.

It packed well and took just a few lights to get going, it starts off sweet and ends up peppery, especially if you get it going pretty good. Every now and then somewhere in the middle I detected a bit of cocoa which was nice.

I think Frog Morton on the Bayou will be replacing Early Morning Pipe for my go to blend with a cup of coffee in the morning. Like F.M. on the Town…..it's also a great after dinner smoke. I highly recommend it.

FMOTB/FMOTT 50/50: To mild, lacks a full bottom and again the perique overpowers *

FMOTB/Anniversary 50/50: Ok if you like perique but for me I miss the sweetness of the basma. **

FMOTB/Anniversary/FMOTT 10/50/40: This I like, the full bottom of the Anniversary, sweetness of the FMOTT basma and just enough perique from the FMOTB to make it tantalizing. This blend is smooth, tasty, complex, will not bite and leaves a lovely aftertaste. Needless to say, all the ingredients are of the highest quality. **

Try it, you may like it, you may love it. I will buy FMOTB again, but only for blending.

I love Frog Morton, so I was intrigued by the addition of perique to this blend. Maybe I'm just way too attached to Frog Morton, but I found the changes to the tobacco unsatisfactory. Like adding chocolate to my favorite coffee...sure, they're two things that I really love, but that doesn't mean I'll love them together.

After several pipe loads, I can honestly state that this is one of the very best tobaccos. As the previous reviewer stated, the key word here is balance. I can taste each and every tobacco individually and as a delightful melding of all of them together.... take your pick. Smooth and soothing smoke. This is a perfect counterpoint to FM. I really love this one. McC does it again!

Balance is the key operative word here. This is what separates an expertly crafted blend from a simple mixture, in my book....skillfully combining controlled amounts of various tobaccos to enhance the combined characteristics. The latakia is perfectly proportioned to the perique and virginias, and the orientals add a wonderful, mild nuttiness and sweetness of their own. Everything contributes in a noticeable but subdued fashion, and nothing overpowers. The blend burns flawlessly and easily in a cool and dry fashion. This blend makes Frog Morton on the Town seem latakia-heavy and less balanced. This FMOTB is a very good, top-notch mild english smoke.

I didn't know this was McClelland until I searched here. It was right after I reviewed their 3 Oaks Original Blend, and mentioned how similar I thought these were. Now it makes sense, I suppose, since they are both McClelland's. I am new to pipe smoking and was looking for something that was not too strong. I am very sensitive to cigarettes, and was worried that I might bite off more than I could chew. Also, I do not like cloves or clove cigarettes, and so was hoping to avoid the flavored types of tobaccos at the start. Three Oaks was a great start, and this blend is as well. I don't have a developed palate, so if there is a difference, it is lost for me. The Frog Morton line is what the local shop sells, and the Three Oaks I had to order. If you are starting out like me, and have the same criteria and worries over choosing that first tin, then I would recommend either of these two. If I had to choose, I would lean towards the 3 Oaks, but I couldn't really tell you why yet. Fyi, I use balsa filters with most of my pipes, though I have a Stanwell 19 that doesn't take a filter, and it does great with these tobaccos as well.

Of all four Frogs, this is the runt of the litter. I like a good Balkan, the best is Ed's Balkan, from Ed's Original Tinderbox in Santa Monica. The flavor is too weak for my taste, not what I would expect from an English Oriental blend. When they say a calming blend on the package, do they mean boring enough to put you asleep? Well boring maybe a bit harsh. I think it is all a matter of taste with this one, hard to describe why this one doesn't float my boat (or raft).

Addendum 5/6/10

I revisited this blend after about six months of aging, and I have to say this greatly improved the flavor for me. The Orientals have become bolder. Being a fan of a good Balkan mixture, I find that if they run a little too moist in the can, which this FM did when I first opened it, the flavors get blurred. Aging and drying helps. This blend became much more interesting. I could actually taste the Perique in my last outing with this Frog. From two to three stars.

This is one time where the description on the tin is accurate and makes sense. This is a calming blend. It isn't the strongest of the latakia-based blends, by far. Nor is it the mildest. The Perique in this blend is not overpowering, and in fact, at times I struggled to find it. Ordinarily at this point I'd write something about my disappointment, but I can't. I believe that it does exactly what McClelland set out to do with it. It's subtly different from some of the other Froggies, and that's a good thing if you like change of pace. The more I've gotten to know this, the more I like it. It may even be an all-day blend. It has the primary emphasis of a fine Balkan, with the occasional sneak-in of Perique. This is just of evident quality, and what I like best is that there's none of that annoying McClelland vinegar smell. Many blends like this fail, in that they try too many varying leaves in the blending, and in trying to be all things for all tastes, it fails to become the sum of its parts. Not this, for me. It's a real favorite. I give it around 3.25 stars out of 4. Allow it to age for 1-2 years, and it's a solid 3.5. Good stuff.

I originally purchased this tobacco about a year ago, and straight out of the tin I was not impressed. I found FMOTT to be much more satisfying and flavorful. I reopened the tin earlier today, and I am glad I did. This tobacco has aged quite well. The Perique has really shone through as I smoke it, and the Latakia --once the main feature-- has taken a back seat to the sweetness of the Perique, enhancing instead of masking it. I recommend this tobacco to anyone who has the patience to wait a year.

This is a winner. The tin description says it all : a smooth, rich and calming Balkan blend. The Perique added a different dimention to the blend. I like it. It has a great tin aroma and leaves a smokey tangy taste on the palette. No bite at all. A nice after dinner smoke.

When some well meaning cove begins his review with the phrase "I don't normally like [insert type of tobacco being reviewed] but I thought I'd give this one a go..." It heats the blood, so to speak. And then when this self same bandit proceeds to rubbish the blend in question, it gets right in amongst the ribs and causes distress and outrage. I mean to say! The eyes narrow, the jaw clenches, our whole manner adopts the aspect of one unsettled. "What's this blighter up to?" we seem to say. "If he doesn't have the palate for the stuff, of what value is his appraisal?" And we take ourselves of to the smoking room to cool the brow and calm the nerves.

Now let me get to the business at hand.

I don't normally like Perique but I thought I'd give this one a go...Actually, that's not quite true. In fact I love Perique, but usually I find that half way through the bowl the spice has become so intense that I can no longer continue, and I nurture a sense of disappointment and loss. But the first half of the bowl, that is pure joy.

Now, the Frog Morton range is well regarded in general, and I've already expressed my love for FMOTT. But now let me praise this blend. For those who love Perique but are sensitive to it, this blend is a wonder in a tin. I won't go into an in depth flavour review, since many have done that here already. It is however a soft, fragrant smoke, with a pleasant room note to boot. If there is a minor caveat, it is perhaps that the normal VAPER lover may find this a bit too mild. But for me, this is an all day puff of the highest calibre.

This was my first go at English. I normally smoke aromatics, but I figured that the can was small and if I didn't like it, then there wasn't much to waste. Yeah, I like the little Tolkien froggy too. Anyway, I love this stuff! Throwing it away would be a terrible waste. If the shoppes would keep this on the shelves, then I would never go back to aromatics.

It's just unfair. It is indeed a quality tobacco, but only because there is a much better blend (Frog Morton) from this same blender does this very blend not merit a 4 star! Each time I smoke Frog Morton on the Bayou, I thought of Frog Morton.

clean smoking with nothing but pure tobacco, excellent balance of sweet and spicy, never harsh, very little after taste, and excellent for all day. good stuff!

2/8/16 opened a tin that had been aged for several years and I will claim that it enhanced the smoke even though this is good fresh as well. I will however downgrade strength a bit from medium to mild. This is a great early morning smoke.

Well it's been tried in several pipes here and I just can't seem to find it. It's like an aromatic more for me. Nice smell but no flavor. Cool smoking even when running hot in the pipe, and a clean mouth feel. The nicotine is a nice level and it's a soothing smoke but I'm just not finding anything to get excited about in the frog. Might as well be The non descriptive English smoke for people looking to try out the world of the natural flavors. I won't bother in the future however as I need a little more going on.

I have to give this a highly recommended since I absolutly love the Perique in this. I have not smoked to many tobaccos chock full of perique so this is unique to me still. It is quite peppery and gives a cool smoke when smoked slow. Perhaps I'll pack me up a bowl here in a minute. It has been awhile since I have smoked it. My wife hates it she says it bothers her ulcers. I think it is because she doesn't like any spice. My personal notes rating is a 9.1 for a unique smoke. It has Periqued my interset.

Right from the first bowl I knew I was smoking a quality blend: velvety smooth and cool and full and a touch sweet -- a nice english blend (even though they call it a balkan); but there was something in that first bowl I found a bit discordant, something just a bit sour and almost unpleasant. And yet, despite my initial reluctance, I found the flavor curious and compelling enough to keep me going from bowl to bowl.

I'm glad I did. This blend has nuance to spare: it must be the hint of perique, which seems to have an ambiguous relationship with the virginias and latakia, a co-dependent love/hate kind of thing, a flavorful tango that titillates my senses and makes this blend ever more interesting the more I smoke it.

Yes, this blend has grown on me in a big way, a most welcome addition to my go-to rotation.

The tin aroma greets you lightly, with noticeable perique. As a balkan blend, it's actually rather tame. Not at all rich or strong. The perique adds the characteristic taste, but still stays in balance, gaining a bit more strength at mid bowl. Stays smooth right to the end bowl. Overall a good, mild non-aromatic. Recommended for beginners.

I was gifted a 50 gr tin of this blend, and I'm glad I was. Balanced is a good way of describing it, each tobacco playing it's part, without stealing the limelight. This could easily be an all day smoke.

The VAs, Orientals, Latakia, and Perique meld into a slightly sweet, but spiced flavor that invigorates the palate. It packs, lights, and smokes easily leaving a light gray ash with little, if any dottle. The only drawback is it's largest size available is 100 gr. Highly recommended, four of four stars.

Update 10/30/08: After a couple of years back in the pipe smoking "saddle" and time to try other blends, I find I must take away one star. While this is a good blend it just does mot make the four star cut for me. After smoking Samarra this weekend, riding down the road and listening to some good music on a friend's XM radio; I hit on a sweet spot where the perique kicked in at the bottom of the bowl. It was just SO good. That made me want to revisit FMOTB. I did when I got home and FMOTB seemed rather wispey in comparison. Still a very good introduction to Balkans, though.

First, I want to thank the esteemed reviewers on this site! Without your help I would not have found this blend. Much to my wife's dismay I have picked up pipe smoking again. So I have joined the brethren of the banished briar. After finding this site and researching what different reviewers said I ordered a 50 gram tin. On opening, out wafted that fine leather smell which must have been the latakia announcing itself. My nose did not sense any remnants that have spawned "The Great Mc Clelland Ketchup Contoversy". Presently, I am on my second tin (a 100gr) and there is no hint of the dreaded condiment in that one, either. This blend smokes very cool. The taste of rich spice flows throughout each bowl. Must be the perique. There is an aftertaste - not in the bad sense of the word, either - which lingers for several hours. I find this to be quite tasty and pleasurable. I will try other blends but this will be a mainstay for me. To paraphase one of Garret Morris' characters on Saturday Night Live (years ago),Mr.Froggy's trip to the Bayou" had been bery bery good to me!!!".

Definatly a must try, and certainly the best of the frog mortons. I keep trying different blends, but always find myself coming back to the bayou.

UPDATE While I still enjoy this very high quality tobacco I must say that it is no longer my everyday smoke. I don't really have a everyday smoke right now. Too many good tobaccos out there to tie myself down to one.

My friend recommended this blend and despite its funny name I was pleasantly surprised how good it is. It is carefully balanced and gives easy and full smoking experience at any time of day. Oriental and Turkish tobaccos are strong but soft. McClelland made one very satisfying blend? so I have to try other Frog Morton blends.

This is my first experience with the Frog and what an experience it was. The tin arrived in the mail yesterday, and after reading the reviews here, I was excited (excited over pipe tobacco - I should get a life). Anyway, upon opening the tin, I was greeted by the pungent odor of Latakia. So far, so good. I loaded a brand new corn cob I had for just this moment. I sat outside on my terrace in 91 degree humid summer air. Just like the bayou. Man oh man!, Upon first light with my lighter, the Latakia and Balkan mix arroused my taste buds. I was in bayou heaven. Midway through the small bowl, I became aware of a new flavor I had never experienced before. Slightly spicy, but on the mellow side. Aha, the Perique! As other reviewers described it, it was 'rich and dark". Aptly put. I finished this without any bite, just pure contentment. I can't wait to experience this blend again, but to the music of Dr. John or Beausoleil on my Ipod. I heartily recommend this blend.

One of the best blends that McClelland puts out, and they have around 200. It has very nice Perique to compliment the Balkan blend. The top of the bowl starts out a bit sweet and by the bottom develops into a more robust leathery note.

The blend packs and lights with ease. Two matches and you are set for an hour of pure pleasure.

I will first say that Frog Morton is a mainstay in my rotation, when I get a strong craving for latakia that is what I reach for. That is why I was rather disappointed with Frog Morton on the Bayou, there was simply too little latakia for what I was expecting, and the perique was too sparce to provide the full flavor I was expecting from a Frog Morton heir.

If I was not such a Frog Morton fan I might judge this differently, but I was expecting a full flavored latakia/perique blend, and what I tasted was a light Balkan with little punch. I will finish the tin but I probably won't return.

This was my first venture into the world of Mr. Frog Morton, and I have to say, I sure do like it there. Frog Morton on the Bayou is a delightful blend with a rich, soothing, dark taste and aroma. It's Frog Morton's favorite blend for floating the bayou with for a reason! The tin aroma is absolutely unique and wonderful, but it pales to the full enjoyment of this blend once you get well into the bowl. It has a decidedly rustic, but comfortable presence that can be enjoyed by all. So...Take a trip down the bayou with the Frog. You'll be glad you did.

04/02/2005: If you are a Frog Morton fan you should enjoy this blend. A lightly cased English-style tobac that packs well, smokes smoothly, and burns clean. It is not as good as Squadron Leader or some of the better Pease offerings I enjoy, but it is more readily available and I like it very much. Probably more non-smoker friendly as well. Recommended.

11/25/2006 Update: Lowered one star. A good introduction to more complex blends.

This is enjoyable. Everyone should try it if you have any interest in The Frog's products. I like this tobacco, but there is something and I dont know what it is, that reins-in my enthusiasm. Quality tobacco...nicely cut...a fine blend...tasteful...it just doesnt make me want to smoke it all day, or acclaim it as one of the greats...I prefer the fuller flavor of the original Frog Morton...but, I will reach for The Bayou again and again.

After a few years of buying occasional tins of FMOTB, it has emerged as one of my all time favorites. At first I bought it because it was the highest quality weed that I could find at my local store that was in the category I was looking for. It has a complexity and subltley, however, that will start to captivate you. The tin aroma is completely amazing. It smokes better after a bit of airing. A few twigs or chunks here and there and sometimes that used to get to me. Not anymore. It's part of that Bayou experience. This tobacco is too unique to describe. Amazing blend...very rich and nostalgic but ever so gentle. I'd probably reach for it over 965 just about every time now and that used to not be the case. It goes places for me that 965 just can't. Here I'm in a pirogue instead of a tall ship.

My tobacco vault has been oppened and this tin from 2002 has mellowed nicely, giving rise to the orientals and the definite undertone of the Perique. Just a very fun blend to smoke with a leathery sweetness in both taste and aroma. I've also been sampling my Brother-in-law's 2003 tin and it is slightly sharper with more of a vanilla flavoring component. Great blend.

I was disappointed in this one as I tried it after two tins of Frog Morton and found this one rather bland after the heavy latakia of the former. don?t get me wrong it wasn?t bad , It just lacked the monochromatic, overwhelming presence of the original Frog Morton. I suppose if I had smoked this first it may have left a different impression. I doubt I will ever buy it again.

Frog Morton On The Bayou is a very decent smoke and I have a constant struggle between Bayou and On The Town when I reach for a bowl of McClelland. As a Balkan goes this isn't the best but its scrumpous nonetheless. Got to have it in rotation...an old faithful.

Without question my pick for Most Flavor for 2006 IS Frog Morton On The Bayou. Absolutely incredible weed. After trying several McClelland's nasty, ketchuppy blends I was ready to throw in the towel and write them all off. Then I tried a tin of FMOTT and was pleasantly surprised, so I reached for the "dark, placid waters of the Bayou" and I was stunned by the richness of this blend.

In my opinion, this blend has a similarity to Dorisco Mixture, not as strong as Dorisco, but much richer and fuller in flavor than Dorisco perhaps from the abundance of Latakia. The nose smoke from Frog/Bayou is incredible.

Frog/Bayou may be a little powerful for the eye-opener, but for all day it fills the bill and is even bold enough to satisfy as the day-ender.

I may be a little premature in this review having only smoked one 100Gm tin of Bayou and one 50Gm tin of FMOTT, but from where I sit 2006 is going to be the Year of the Frog!

McClelland is my Hero Brand. The Frog Mortons are just fabulous. This one is grand for contemplative evenings sipping spirits and reading or watching the fire. Never bites, never fails to please. Compliments "On the Town" well. If you buy these two blends you'll never be bored.

This was the first non-aromatic I ever tried. I fell in love with this blend. It was so different from anything I had smoked. Everything just comes together nicely. Sit back with a bowl of this and enjoy the magic of all the different tobaccos as they make their appearence.

I had heard so much about Frog Morton on the Bayou that I could hardly wait to get the tin open and load my new (just broke in with about 12 bowls now smoked) faithful and magnificent smoking Nording freeform pipe. Opening the Bayou tin my first whiff, and the following 2-3 minutes of sensory testing, was interesting and reminded of Stokkebye's Proper English PS-52 but then I caught a drift of the Louisiana Perique and Bayou took on a individuality and personality of it's own to my senses.

From the first light Bayou tasted delicious and mouth-wateringly and smoked easily nearly to the bottom of the bowl on the first light to the very finish, leaving a nice clean white ash at the bottom which dropped out without the use of my pipe tool blade. This was one of the most pleasurable 40 minute pipe smokes I've had. The experience of Bayou lingered long after the pipe rested. It left its signature both in my mind and body with feelings of peacefulness, serenity and mellow thoughts. This tobacco will surely hold a place of high esteem on my shelves and in my pipes. If Dunhill's Nightcap is even near what Bayou is (which I have yet to try) there will probably be a constant bickering in my mind and taste buds about which one to smoke first and when.

This is another wonderful addition to the McClelland cabinet. McClelland has been coming up with some wonderful blends and this holds its ground.

Looking at the tin one sees the same Frog Morton as the original. When you open the tin you are greeted with a wonderful, familiar aroma, a little stronger though than the Original. Some have noted how the tobacco seems a little moist; this was not experienced with my tin. Grab a hand full, load it up and light it.

The tobacco lights wonderfully. There is no need to keep a box of matches around for this one. You may want the tobacco to burn out, but it doesn?t want to; the tobacco is so cool is just keeps on going. The taste that you receive is much like that of the Original Frog Morton, very cool. There is no tongue bite.

This is not a boring blend. You will enjoy it clear down to the last puff. On the Bayou makes you want to grab a fishing pole, a couple of spinner baits and head out onto the lake. It?s the perfect lake tobacco. When the wind is blowing you can still taste and smell the aroma of the tobacco.

This froggie is little better than the others I would imagine its the perique. When I opened the tin ,I saw some twigs and it was a little moist . the leaf has no bite and it tastes a little bit better then other frogs ,it might be the perigue .I tasted something tangy. the downside was that the smoke did not pass the wife test, when it came to crowd pleasing. On the good side it had no bite so a newbie like me will enjoy it.

A very good sweet and savory blend.I rather enjoyed this one.An extremely mild blend for a Perique blend ,yet still yummy!This is my second favorite in the FM series. FMOTT is the first. This is definitely worth a try especially if you are a FM fan. 3 of 4 stars.

McClelland blends have often been accused of not being "sophisticated", but the important thing is enjoyment, and I have enjoyed most of their blends. FMOTB is no exception. This is basically an oriental blend nicely laced with perique. It creates a zesty, tangy smoke that is even and consistent through the entire bowl. For an oriental, the room note is not too bad either. You can leave this in a bowl and come back to it hours, or even a day, later and still find a flavourful, even tobacco in your pipe. This is definitely a favourite of my rotation.

This was my first Frog Morton, but not my first McClelland. I had previously tried, and loved, their bulk offering 5110. However, when I decided to venture into the world of Frog Morton I found the perique offering in On the Bayou too tempting to turn down. I find On the Bayou is sweet when lit up. I sense some sort of flavoring, perhaps a liquor addition, but it is very mild and hardly noticeable. As the bowl continues, the latakia begins to come out, although it is a rather mild latakia mixture in my opinion it is well blended and satisfying. But the bottom half of the bowl is the real kicker with this blend. The perique and latakia combine to make a dark, rich, and smokey flavor that is delightful as it is relaxing. Almost no bite and a pleasant aroma make Frog Morton on the Bayou a great blend for experienced smokers and smokers new to English blends alike. Four stars without a doubt.

I've just tried this tobacco for the fist time today. I smoked one bowl,and immediately re-loaded for another. I have read some of the other reviews and some say that this blend is sweetened. I have to disagree. I believe the sweetness is the Perique along side the orientals. The Perique is way out front here,but not in a harsh way.The Latakia, restrained but singing softly. The billows of smoke I think I could walk on. The taste is MOUTH WATERING.

Delicious tobacco that I smoked down until I drew ashes. I Love you guys at McClelland.

While FM is an all day delight, with its subtle smokiness, FMOTB is notched up in strength, probably due to the obvious Perique. And, FMOTB is inherently more complex than FM though it still manages to be very near monochromatic.

Besides the noticeable casing of both of these blends, FMOTB has less of the smokey latakia smell one expects in a Balkan blend. Even FM doesn't really have the aroma profile typically associated with latakia-heavy blends.

I am pleased that my 100 gram tin did not have the typical McClelland-Moisture inherent in many of their other worthy blends (update: though I do use a few more pipe cleaners than is normal for me when smoking FMOTB).

Overall, not a mind blower, nor offensive, but unlikely to replace FM in the weekly rotation. If you want to try Perique without the typical zap it provides in blends like Escudo or Haddo's Delight, give FMOTB a try.

A very light and sweet blend of some sort. Definitely not in the same family with English/Balkans of other manufacturers. I don't think the listed ingredients are giving us the full story. There is definitely a cased element in this blend, I think. Has a little more punch than the original FM, but not much. Good tobacco for a new piper as an alternative to the drug store stuff.

i just recently tried this frog,i really like it.it packs well,stays lite and tastes really good.my favorite frog is "on the town" but this frog is a close second.the smell after opening the tin was great.i will keep this frog on hand.

This is a good English blend. I am not a big fan of Latakia, but this blend doesn't have a large amount of Latakia so it suits me fine. Had a couple of bowls of this with a couple of large pints of stout under the car port on a cool breezy night while looking at the Christmas lights in the old neighborhood and was very happy with them both. They went together very nicely! Nice aroma and not too heavy, but heavy enough for the cool night and the stout. May have to put some of this away for when it really gets cold.

These Frog Morton tobaccos are terrific, and Frog Morton on the Bayou is no exception. The Latiakias are smooth and silky, with just a touch of Perique--not much, mind you--to keep things interesting. The burn is great as well--two lights and it burned to a nice white ash almost to the bottom of the bowl in my circa. 1980s Nording freehand. This didn't get four stars from me only because it is slightly too mild for my trashed-out palate. My biggest problem was deciding which pipe to use, as I had not yet designated one for Latakia-Perique blends. As it turned out, this was not a substantial concern given the lightness of the Perique in this blend.

Perhaps slightly tastier and darker than the previous two Frogs, but still very mild and delicate... not a Balkan at all! The Perique is sparingly applied, and sometimes intangible. As usual, it's a nice light EM with the typical McClelland black cavendish overtones. As FM and FM On the Town, smokable but there's better stuff out there...

I?ve been smoking this since it came out ? I really like it and its brothers FMOT and FM. The first week I had it, I burned a whole 100g tin. Since, I?ve slowed my pace. I still love the stuff. If you want a sweet, non-hot blend, that won?t dry out in the can, then this is for you. I must say that it needs to be air dried before loading a bowl or it gets just a bit too goopy for me. (No surprise here, I think all McC tobaccos are like that.) I find laying it spread out on a paper towel, or paper plate out for 30 minutes to an hour before loading is just right. The perique the McClelland uses is always excellent in quality, but it always dries out my throat, so be warned that this may happen to you as well. Also, I have found through my tasting adventures that McClelland?s choice in latakia is a bit ?softer? than what is used by other companies.

This was a one off for me as my online order was mistakenly bungled and I ended up with a 50g tin of FMOTB. Glad I did. A very nice smoking tobacco that smells and tastes like tobacco. Nothing really aromatic about this blend. In fact it reminded me of my old favorite straight Camels or Lucky Strikes (which I've given up) in the fact it was a good quality, honest smoke. Lit well, burned clean and left me satisfied. A good change of pace if you want a non-aromatic smoke. As many noted, the tin aroma is a bit 'funky'. Doen't seem to carry over to the taste.

I find this one to be rich, thick, dark, and smoky with a good kick of Perique. Sometimes I notice the faint taste of vanilla. This is not in my daily schedule of must-smokes but it does offer me some variety from my regulars and offers a very good flavor. There is a unique flavor that I can't put my finger on but, I have tasted the same flavor in other McClelland blends (maybe that's just the taste of a McClelland blend). I'll most likely enjoy the rest of this tin but, I'm not sure yet if another one is in my future.

My wanderings through the land of latakia have not been particularly successful, although I might be heading in the right direction. Dunhill's My Mixture 965? Ghastly! Samuel Gawith's Squadron Leader? Into the bin! G. L. Pease's Mephisto? Mildly intriguing. Frog Morton on the Bayou? Enjoyable.

Frog Morton on the Bayou has just enough latakia to provide a flavour completely different from my usual strong British flake tobaccos, but does not overpower one with the taste of old leaves and spoiled wine.

Frog Morton on the Bayou (FMOTB) is the best of the lot, combining the savory oriental spiciness of Frog Morton on the Town (FMOTT) with the pepperiness of perique. Appearance-wise, FMOTB looks like a cross between FMOTT (light) and Forg Morton (dark). Flavor-wise however FMOTB sits well apart from its cousins.

I must admit that FMOTB was the first English+perique blend I had tried. At first, I found the combination of perique and latakia off-putting. A few bowls of FMOTB changed that for me in a hurry. I can also imagine that to some tastes, the combination of spicy orientals and spicy perique is just too spicy. Combined with latakia, it is an assault on the senses, being several steps removed from a well-behaved Va/P blend like McClelland's 2015.

I have even taken this one step farther, blending one part of well rubbed-out Old Ironsides with three parts FMOTB, to add a little more latakia backbone to the bayou blend. Not everyone's cup of tea, to be sure, but it sure toots my horn.

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for FMOTB and highly recommend it to the perique lover that would like a bit of latakia as well.

Let me preface by saying that I'm not a big Latakia fan. I do however enjoy Perique and I think that is what is so endearing to me about this blend. The Latakia is there, but it's one of the players, not the main attraction. Most Latakia blends I've tried seem to overwhealm all the other flavours, not so with this blend. FMOTB is a pleasant light smoke well-suited for summer nights. It's not a heavy tobacco with abundant body, but it won't leave you unsatisfied either. It has a sweet flavour that balances nicely with the Latakia, packs well and burns cooly all the way to the heel with only minor gurgling which can be fixed by airing the tobacco out beforehand. This is the pipe tobacco equivilant of a sandwich versus a full meal, but sometimes you feel like a snack.

Another interesting twist on the Frogmorton theme. I enjoy the aromatic element of the FM series, but find that I tire of the sweetness quickly and want to go to a straight latakia blend without the aromatic element. Like most McClellands, it comes far too wet to smoke and must be dried before use. This is billed as a Balkan, but I do not get that connection.

First, let me warn you, I have found that I am allergic to Perique. I write this review so that others may realize that maybe they too have this problem and therefore cannot enjoy this blend. Upon opening the tin you are met with the typical color of the Frog series,but with the wonderful odor that comes from the Perique. After a little airing, this blend lights easy and immediately lets you know you are in the bayou. The perique seems to be in higher quantities than other blends I have tried but soon (about mid-bowl) I begin to get the mouth coating due to my allergy. I finish the bowl with much effort because the flavor is good and I don't like to waste tobacco, but I have to pass. Thank God there are the other two Frogs for me to enjoy....

This is fantastic. I didn't know what to expect when I ordered this but it exceeded anything I may have had in mind.

The biggest surprise was how well the Latakia and other tobaccos blended to create a very mellow, cool and enjoyable smoking experience. The Latakia is far from overpowering, as can sometimes be the case.

This has such a great mix of elements that it could easily become dull since nothing could stand out. But it manages to hold its own with each piece playing an equal part in the whole, like a symphony. The Turkish and Orientals do not step on each others toes but provide a nice counterpoint (violins and cellos), the Latakia stays in the background to provide the Bass notes, and the Perique jumps in and out like a pleasant surprise, perhaps an Oboe or flute.

I started with the original Frog Morton and then Frog Morton on the Town and after trying Frog Morton on the Bayou the signal lights went off.

Unlike FM which is very overpowered by the latakia. FB is excellently blended for a real satisfying smoke. The perqiue really sets off the virginia and latakia. This is one of my favorite blends. The smoke is somewhat non existent which is the only flaw I can pinpoint. But the flavor makes up for it. Another feather in McClellends hat, bravo!!!